


Reconnaissance

by RockPaperbackScissors



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Overprotective Parents, Shyness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 13:13:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6908614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockPaperbackScissors/pseuds/RockPaperbackScissors
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaidan's mother learns of some unexpected perils that her son has encountered, Kaidan struggles to keep his personal and professional lives separate, and Shepard engages in driveby conversation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reconnaissance

**Author's Note:**

> While on Noveria in ME1, Kaidan says that “Mom was right, I should've brought a sweater”, which made me wonder about what else she’d been telling him.

Normandy Vidmail Log

June 10th, 2183

Sender: Marcela Alenko

Recipient: Kaidan Alenko 

_She squints into the camera, her warm russet skin giving way to wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. In the oval room behind her are a cream-colored sofa, a matching low table, and a holographic sculpture of a maple sapling._

_“Hello? Is this working? All this equipment is new, and your father hasn’t shown me how to use it yet. I wish you were here—you were always so good at teaching me things like that.”_

_She purses her lips, but almost instantly reshapes them into a smile. “We saw you on the news reports. What a crew that is—Turians and Quarians and all those others! And that nice young lady. Ashley, isn’t it? Oh, I shouldn’t talk like this, but I only wish you’d find the right girl or boy someday, and start thinking about what life will be like after your service is over.”_

_She leans closer to the camera. Light catches on the silver strands that shoot through her black hair like comets in the night._

_“We’re proud of you, Kaidan, but we’re scared. I don’t like this business with the Spectres. You’re too far away, and it’s too dangerous.” Her mouth opens and closes as she scavenges for words. “Remember to take your migraine medicine, and bring a sweater if you’re going somewhere cold. We miss you. Please be safe.”_

_Blinking rapidly, she begins to fumble with the controls of the camera. The vidmail lasts another two minutes before ending._

\-----

 

June 22nd, 2183

Sender: Kaidan Alenko

Recipient: Marcela Alenko 

_“…It’ll be fine, mom. She’s a Spectre for good reason. I trust her. Honestly, I more than trust her.” He brushes the back of his knuckles against his forehead. “It’s hard to stop thinking about her. I—we—she’s special.” His cheeks begin to grow red. He stretches his hand towards the button to terminate the vidmail, but stops. “Not that any of this is distracting from our mission. That’s our first priority. But after it’s over, maybe things will be different. Maybe you’ll meet her someday.”_

_He rubs his jaw and looks into the distance._

_“I should get back to work, Mom. Take care of yourself. Love you.”_

\-----

 

June 23rd, 2183

Sender: Marcela Alenko

Recipient: Kaidan Alenko

_Her eyes are wide. She leans so close to the camera that the room behind her is almost completely blocked from view._

_“I’ve always wanted you to do whatever makes you happy, Kaidan, but you’re playing with fire. They don’t hold Spectres to the same rules as the rest of us. Think about what that means. Who knows what she did to get a job like that, or what kind of morals she has, or whether she even cares about other humans.”_

_She presses a hand to her forehead and continues more quietly. “She’s going to be sent to dangerous places, and if you care for her, you’ll look out for her. I know you. But what if something happens to you? What if something happens to_ her _? You can’t spend your life with someone if—“_

A familiar rhythm of jogging footsteps begins overhead. With wobbling fingers, Kaidan snaps off the vidmail as Shepard emerges from the stairwell entrance. 

“Is—is there anything you need, Commander?” His flinches at brittle brightness of his own voice. 

Shepard raises an eyebrow. Kaidan's heart hammers. How much had she heard?

"We'll talk later, Kaidan." She summons the garage elevator, her forehead furrowed with distraction.

He exhales. "I'd like that."


End file.
